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The investigators' report states: "He was under the apprehension that they were on collision course with no time to react. His immediate reaction was to duck to the right and reach over to alert the FO [first officer]; there was no time to talk to alert him."

It adds: "The captain was fully expecting to experience some kind of impact with a conflicting aircraft."

He told investigators the object passed "within a few feet" of the top of the jet and that it was "cigar/rugby ball-like" in shape, bright silver and "metallic" in construction. The episode was examined by the UK Airprox Board, which studies "near misses" involving aircraft in British airspace.

It checked data recordings to establish what aircraft were in the area but eliminated them all, along with meteorological balloons.

Military radar operators were also unable to trace the reported object.